The Crested Screamer. 229 
made it possible for birds so large in size to form 
sucli immense congregations are rapidly passing 
away. In desert places^ the bird subsists chiefly 
on leaves and seeds of aquatic plants ; but when 
the vast level area of the pampas was settled by 
man, the ancient stiff grass-vegetation gave place 
to the soft clovers and grasses of Europe, and to 
this new food the birds took very kindly. Other 
circumstances also favoured their increase. They 
were never persecuted, for the natives do not eat 
them, though they are really very good — the flesh 
being something like wild goose in flavour^ A 
higher civilization is changing all this : the country 
is becoming rapidly overrun with emigrants, espe- 
cially by Italians, the pitiless enemies of all bird- 
life. 
The chakars, like the skylark, love to soar 
upwards when singing, and at such times when 
they have risen till their dark bulky bodies appear 
like floating specks on the blue sky, or until they 
disappear from sight altogether, the notes become 
wonderfully etherealized by distance to a soft 
silvery sound, and it is then very delightful to 
listen to them. 
It seems strange that so ponderous a fowl with 
only six feet and a half spread of wings should 
possess a power of soaring equal to that of vultures 
and eagles. Even the vulture with its marvellous 
wing power soars chiefly from necessity, and when 
its crop is full finds no pleasure in scaling the 
heavens by invisible stairs.'^ The chakar leaves its 
grass-plot after feeding and soars purely for re- 
creation, taking so much pleasure in its aerial 
